


He Stands Alone

by OwlOfMyLove



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, Comfort, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-03
Updated: 2015-02-03
Packaged: 2018-03-09 10:17:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3245948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OwlOfMyLove/pseuds/OwlOfMyLove
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alone in New York City, Rumplestiltskin finds comfort from the displays that the Disney Store has of the animated version of his wife.</p>
            </blockquote>





	He Stands Alone

He stands outside the store; unmoving as hoards of people walk in both directions his way, not caring if they push into him and don't notice that he stand with the support of a shabby cane. Rumplestiltskin pays no mind to the pedestrians that push into him and gruffly tell him to move out of the way. They're not important and not worth the energy. There's too many of them and he's too fixated on what's before him. Besides, _she_ would want him to turn the other cheek.  

Children eagerly run into the store, calling on their parents to hurry and join them because what's inside can't be hidden from them any longer. They are the most enthusiastic about the store and once inside, their excitement can hardly be contained as they head off into different directions to what attracts them the most while he watched from the outside window. 

There are television screens where windows normally would be and they flash different colours. Today deep shades of yellow and floral designs dance in front of the pedestrians and above the store name, is another screen is above and showing a beautifully drawn young woman in a golden dress. Her hair a light brown, a smile that feels familiar even though it's a drawing, and big eyes though they are the wrong colour.

The eyes should be blue, not brown. A detail that many may not see as important, but to him it means everything. 

A pedestrian pushes into him and gruffly apologizes, knocking his trance from the screen away and instead to a little girl.

She's young; with dark brown hair tied up into two curled pigtails. Her eyes are blue. The perfect blue. A plastic silver tiara is atop her head to match the golden costume gown she's wearing. A fancier, more detailed version than what the drawing of the woman wore on the giant screen above him. There are more floral designs imprinted on the fabric and it shimmers in the light of the store. Underneath the dress he spots her pants and shoes don't fit; black leggings with pink and purple chevron flats. 

She grins, warming and comforting and then waves rapidly to show him attention. 

Rumplestiltskin doesn't wave back, but instead continues to stare at the child. The dark curls of her pony tails remind him of the ones atop Bae's head in his toddler years.  

Her smile fades and instead she grows a look of concern, leaving Rumplestiltskin to wonder why the child is so interested in him. He's nothing special and in New York City he is pennyless; his fine clothing fading away to rags. He's began to pawn away the fine accessories he wore with his suit and holds on to what he needs to wear to survive along with his walking cane and ring. Second looks are rare unless they come from judgement and they look twice to take the time to criticize his haggard appearance. Now he stands in a busy tourist trap, staring into the store favoured by children. Perhaps his odd gaze upon the displays of a certain princess is what caught the child's attention.  

On the screen, the yellow shades are gone and replaced by green and the floral shapes are joined by stars. The animated woman is gone and replaced by one with ebony skin and a tasteful green dress. Her smile is humble and eyes are drawn with a loving expression. 

In the window, the little girl in the gold dress is gone and his eyes slowly scan to see where she has scurried off too. 

Suddenly there is a tug at the hem of his jacket and by his side is the little girl.

"Which one is your favourite?" She asks, nodding her head towards the display of princesses inside the store.

There are many to choose from and, to be honest, he doesn't know the name of them all. Three for sure he can name easily but the others don't strike familiar to him. The one in the golden gown is his favourite; the one the little girl is dressed up as.

His brave, beautiful Belle. 

"Her," he croaks from not using his voice often enough. "The one with the gold gown."

The little girl giggles to show a toothy grin. "She's my favourite too. Our names are very, very close. Except I have an "Ara" at the beginning of my name and an "a" at the end of mine." After only seconds of silence, the girl continued. "It's my birthday today. I'm six y'know and so my daddy brought me here as a special treat. It's my most favourite place to come shop at."

Rumplestiltskin shifts his gaze around and finds no man nearby that could be her father and wonders if the parent has noticed his child's absence yet. 

"What's your name?" The girl asks when again she is denied a response. 

The screen is different again and there is a darker hue of green and woman with fiery red hair and a dark green gown is on the screen. No flowers on the design but seashells this time. 

"Mr. Gold," he answers softly. 

"Gold like Belle's gown!" Arabella observes with enthusiasm; amused by the connection. "No wonder she's your favourite."

He stifles a laugh in his throat, amused by her childlike wonder to the world of Disney and the real life connections there can be within it. "She's my favourite for more than that." 

In the store there are dolls of the woman in the gold down; sometimes in a peasant dress with a blue apron. Alongside her is a beast dressed up in a blue jacket with black pants, large fangs, and a furry face that reminds him of a lion. She's on display in different poses, some singular, others with the other group of princesses. She's the one that stands out the most to him and though a simple drawing, just looking at her makes his heart ache painfully and he has the desire to drop to his knees like he did the last time he ever saw her. 

"Belle is brave, strong, and beautiful." The girl states firmly. "She's my hero."

"Mine too," Rumplestitlskin agrees. Though he told Belle before that she was a hero he never told her that she was  _his_.

His mind drifts away from the tiny girl next to him and his mind wanders to Storybrooke. At this moment he wonders what Belle is doing and if she is safe. Has she left the large estate for the small apartment above the library, are the townspeople leaving her be from the questions of where her husband has disappeared to, does she take the steps to maintain self-care; she eats less when depressed and it bothers him greatly. 

"Are you lonely?"

Rumplestiltskin looks down at the girl with a raised brow. Did little girls always jump to such personal questions?

"What makes you think I'm lonely?" 

She shrugs her shoulders in a quick, over exaggerated motion. "You're standing outside of the Disney store all alone with a sad face and when we talked about Belle you sounded as if you were lonely. Are you lonely?"

He doesn't know why he answers he the way he did. Perhaps, he considers, her sweet and caring nature reminds him of the woman he painfully yearns to see again. "I am."

"Oh," Arabella says softly. "Why?"

There are many answers he could give her. He could share his tale with this girl and leave her head spinning with the knowledge that the fairy tale she loves so dearly is true and that she, a tiny girl, spoke with the Beast. It would be easier to pass down a simple answer but that would leave the girl to ask more questions until he was at his wits end. It had been so long since a young child was curious in his life and it was more comforting than he would ever dare admit.

"My wi--"

"Arabella!" 

The girl jumps, startled by the sudden cry of her name, before running into the arms of where her name was called. "Hi, daddy!" 

Rumplestiltskin is momentarily awe struck by her father. He's a handsome man with hair a few shades away from black, deep brown eyes, a beard and mustache that strike him familiar. He's properly bundled up for the chilling weather and a gray scarf is wrapped around his neck to keep his warm, despite the store providing it's own level of warmth. There is a fleeting moment where the recent memories of Baelfire's fate blurs away and he believes he's found his son again. 

"B-bae?"

"I'm sorry?" The man is confused as he picks up his daughter in his arms and holds her close from the stranger Rumplestiltskin is. 

He catches himself; Baelfire is long dead. 

"I thought you were someone else."

A weak smile crosses the mans face. No doubt the patchy stubble and dirty clothing on Rumplestiltskin's back has allowed him to create a quick and unfair judgement on the man. "No harm done, Mr...?"

"Gold!" Arabella informs her father happily. "His name is Mr. Gold. Daddy, he likes Princess Belle just as much as I do!"

Her father smiles again; this time more sincere and the one only a parent would wear when their child spoke of unimportant things. "Really? Well how about we say goodbye to Mr. Gold and go out for a special birthday dinner?" The tone of the man is laced with that of worry; an old man talking to his young child has him on edge and in a hurry to escape. 

Arabella nods in agreement and waves her hand enthusiastically. "Goodbye Mr. Gold. I hope you don't feel lonely anymore."

To his own surprise, Rumplestiltskin raises his hand and slowly waves goodbye to the child. The wave satisfies the child and her smile grows before she buries her face into her fathers shoulder for comfort.

When the girl and her father are out of sight, Rumplestiltskin turns his attention back to the screen; it's perfect timing as the animated version of Belle is now taking her turn once more. He stands alone again, unmoving and ignored by the crowds that bustle past him in New York City. Now that she is gone does Rumplestiltskin realize how much he enjoyed her company. 


End file.
